Tag Archives: rory wilson

Former Bainbridge High School teacher Rory Wilson will share
reflections and photos from his
rowing odyssey to Hawaii next week.

The presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the
Bainbridge High School commons. The event is free, and donations
will be accepted for the Bainbridge Schools
Foundation.

Wilson made the 44-day journey from San Diego to Honolulu
earlier this fall in a slender homemade craft powered by oars and
kites. He called the vessel “KROS,” short for kites, rowing ocean,
solar. Wilson’s math students at Bainbridge High
helped him prepare for the journey.

You can get a taste of Wilson’s adventure in the video below,
which shows KROS dancing through waves under kite power.
Wilson has posted many more amazing images on the
KROS page on Facebook.

The 21-foot boat, powered by oars and kites, is creeping
steadily toward its goal, according to updates posted by Wilson’s
brother Shane on the KROS
Facebook page. Wilson launched from San Diego on Sept. 18
and spent the first few days of his solo voyage paddling southwest
off Baja California. He is now traveling roughly due west for
Hawaii.

Wilson relays his position to
Shane using a SPOT GPS tracker (the latest track is shown above).
The brothers also talk regularly by satellite phone. According
to Shane’s latest post, Wilson has rowed up to 12 hours a day when
the wind is too light to use KROS’ kites.

“He sounds like he’s having a great time, all in all…” Shane
wrote.

Wilson taught math at Bainbridge High and used the plans for his
experimental voyage to engage his students. Before departing
last month, Wilson compared the KROS to a moving math problem.